Antiva
Renowed for its fine wines and the infamous guild of assassins, the House of the Crows, Antiva is the trade center of the north. Its capital, Antivan City - which lies in the middle of its coastland - is one of the wealthiest cities in all of Thedas. "No king is willing to order his troops to assault her borders, and no general is mad enough to lead such an invasion." ''- Brother Genitivi on Antiva'' Geography Enjoying a warm north-eastern climate, Antiva is bordered by Rialto Bay and Rivain on the East, the Trevinter Imperium on the West and the Free Marches on the South. Much of Antiva is coastline, facilitating the growth of its maritine and trade culture, and five of the country's major cities, including the capital; Antiva City, are port cities. Cities and Major Settlements *Antiva City - Capital ** Velabanchel *Bastion *Beleny *Rialto *Seleny *Treviso Regions *The Arlathan Forest *The Drylands *The Green Dales *Rialto Bay *Tellari Swamps **The Silent Grove *The Weyrs *The White Spies History *'1:45-95 Divine:' The Chantry spreads east into Antiva. *'2:33 Glory:' Antivan cities unite under a common banner to defend themselves against the advance of Fyruss, the king of Starkhaven *'5:12 Exalted:' Awakening of Andoral and the rise of the Fourth Blight. Antiva is overrun and its entire ruling family slaughtered. *'5:24 Exalted:' Antiva is freed from the darkspawn during the battle at the city of Ayesleigh where Garahel dies after defeating Andoral in combat. *'5:99 Exalted:' With the recent assassination of Queen Madrigal of Antiva (deep within the forest during a hunt, she is found with four steel swords plunged into her chest, presumably murdered by the Crows), the Steel Age is named. *'6:32-42 Steel:' Antiva is conquered by the invading Qunari . *'6:85 Steel - 7:23 Storm:' Antiva is freed from the Qunari. *'7:52 Storm:' During the Second New Exalted March the Qunari recapture much of Antiva. *'7:84 Storm:' The end of the Third New Exalted March and signing of the Llomerryn Accord. Antiva is free from the Qunari influence. Culture and Society Renowned throughout Thedas for its wines and exotic goods, Antiva is the prime example of sunshine living. Where possible, the people of Antiva prefer to do as much as possible outdoors, be that eating on the veranda of a merchant lord's palace, or simply sitting and watching the sun go down over the ocean. The wealth of the merchant lords turns Antivan culture in a competition to prove ones wealth. Each trader seeks to make his mansion home even grander and more extravagent than his neighbour, and the balls and parties they hold grow ever more expensive each year. Of course, these parties provide the perfect oppourtunity for aggressive business negotiations ... or the perfect arena for a high profile death. Oppulence and excess is the norm in Antiva. If one can afford something, it is assumed to be theirs by right, and with enough money, an Antivan can get their hands on any manner of pleasure or perversion. On any given street in the major Antivan city, there are numerous brothels and whorehouses, each skilled at giving their customers discretion or publicity as needed. Women have strictly defined roles in Antiva. They are thought to be delicate, pure creatures, and are thus not allowed to participate in combat and other, darker pursuits. It is fair to say, however, that the Antivan idea of feminimity does not match up with the reality. Politics It is common misconcept in the rest of the world that Antiva has no king. Even most of the Antivans would be hard-pressed to name the current ruler. In reality, the Antivan royal line has remined unbroken for two and half thousand years. The royal hold no power whatsoever, however, with the true power lying in the hands of a collection of merchant princes; the heads of the banks, trading companies, and vineyards who generate Antiva's wealth. Antiva has no military as the monarchy is too weak to support one; and while each merchant prince has a private army of their own, they are all locked in a constant struggle against their competitors and rival merchant princes. The ruling family possess sufficient capital to resolve any external diplomatic quandaries with a well-aimed purse or threat of withdrawn trade. Anyone would think, then, that Antiva would be a ripe target for invasion by one of her neighbors, but even the Qunari leave Antiva alone for one very good reason: the House of the Crows. The most efficient, most feared, and most expensive guild of assassins in the world calls Antiva their home, and their reputation alone defends the borders.Their fame is such that Antiva has no need for a standing army: no king is willing to order an assault on the borders of Antiva, and no general is mad enough to lead such an invasion. The attack would likely succeed, but its leaders would not see the day's end. An association of Antivan pirates called the Felicisima Armada is the leading maritime power in the region. They gained influence when the pirates aided the allied forces in the Exalted Marches against the Qunari, and now pose a serious threat on the Waking sea. Wealthy merchants often prefer to pay off the leaders of the Armada rather than to risk their cargo. Antiva at Fortress of Glass Here at Fortress of Glass, we welcome characters of any class from Antiva, and are happy for any reasonable member plot to occur in the country. Rogues may be a member of the Crows, in which case tney may access the Assassin specilization. Plots in Antiva The merchant lords and princes of Antiva are always plotting against one another, and are always seeking to gain more influence and money. Ordinary people, sellswords, foreign dignitaries - anyone can find themselves dragged into these complex plots. The Crows hire out their assassins to anyone with the coin to pay for them, and can be found all over Thedas. The guildmasters are always engaged in games of their own, however, trying to elimiate rivals and gain more power and influence. As these games and plans come closer to fruition, the guildmasters keep the assassins they can rely on closer to hand, ready to lend their blade to these fluid games of intrigue. The aftermath of the Battle at the Gallows is being felt all over Thedas, including in Antiva. As mage and Templar begin to prepare for war, the merchant lords of Antiva have yet to decide where their sympathies lie - rahter, they have yet to agree on a concrete course of action for the country. Redirect Main Page Registration Details Site Backstory Category:Locations Category:Antiva